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APPARATUS FOR BURNING FINE FUEL.

Patented Dec, 1o, 1895.

Q@ wat u* Wl TNESSES /NVENTB '2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.4 W.4M. RUSSELL.

Patented Dec. 10, 1895".

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APPARATUS PoR BURNING PINE FUEL. N o. 551,098.

| 1:2111 Jlll Illllllll UNITED STATES' PATENT GFFICE.

` WILLIAM MELVIN RUSSELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.-

APPARATUS FOR BURNING FINE FUEL.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,098, dated December 10, 1895.

. Application led April 18, 1895. Serial No. 546,186. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 'mag/concern:

.lle it known that I, WILLIAM M ELVIN RUS- snI-IL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and `county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new an'd useful Improvement in Means for Burning Fuel, of which the following is a specification.`

My invention relates more particularly to means for burning pulverized fuel, such as fine coal and coal-dust; and it has for its object to reduce the fuel to as finely-divided a state as possible, while at the same time mixing such 'fi-ne fuel with a proper quantity of air, and then deliveringl such mixture of'fuel and air into a combustion-chamber, where said fuel and air mixture is ignited.

In carrying out my invention I provide a novel pulverizer for dividing fuel into a fine condition, the operative parts of the pulverizer being so arranged as to draw in the proper amount of air to mix it with the fuel being pulverized, the said operative parts of the pulverizer at the same time acting to force the mixture of fine fuel and air into a combustion-chamber. This pulverizer embraces aA casing and a series of rotative blades or bats within it, so arranged as to toss the fuel about within the casing and to gradually pass the fuel along from the intake end to the outlet', the fuel meanwhile being in a state of suspension within the casing and gradually becoming finer as it passes along from one set of blades to another. e

The invention further embraces a novel construction of nozzle or outlet for the mixture of fuel and air, said nozzle being so arranged as to spread the outgoing fuel into a thin sheet or iihn. This nozzle is provided with novel means for increasing and diminishing the size of its outlet or opening, so as y to regulate the amount of -fuel being fed in accordance with the desired amount of heat the boiler-setting I have also shown -a heatof the brickwork 2,

ing-chamber, which serves to supply heat-cd air tothe pulvei-izer above mentioned.l

The invention further consists in thc novel details of improvement and the combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth,and then pointed out in the claims. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure l is a central longitudinal section of a boiler-setting, showing my improved appliances for supplying fuel to the combustionchamber.. Fig. lis a cross-section on the line 2 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the pulveri'zer and mixer. Fig. 3 isa detail Sectional plan view. Fig. t is a plan view of the nozzle for passing the fuel in to the combustion-chamber. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4. Fig.

6 is Van end view of the'nozzle looking from the left in Fig. 4, andA showing means for regulating the size of the delivery end of said nozzle? Fig. 7 is an end view of the nozzle4 looking from the right in Fig. 4,1 showing the outlet end thereof. e

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar numerals and 'letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, l indicates a boiler, which may be of suitable or well-kn own construction, and 2 is a boilersetting or brickwork inclosing'the same, which y may also be suitably constructed.

3 is a combustion-chamber beneath the boiler and having a vertical space 3. at the back thereof leading to the fines of the boiler.

`4c is a suitable bridge adapted to assist .in supporting the boiler, and 5 is a suitable support at the forward part of the boiler, arranged to forni a space 6 for the passage of the heated products of combustion from the iiues of vthe boiler, the spacev .6 being entirely separated from the combustion-chamber 3. The arrangement for this purpose. can be changed from that shown in any desired or suitable manner.

The combustion-chamber 3 is kept closed f during operation, and in order to supply the support combustion I have shown `pipes 7, which extend longitudinally of said chamber at its lower part and on opposite sides, as in Fig. 2, these pipes 7 leading from the back where they are supplied lOO IAS

tion-chamber.

with fresh air. The pipes 7 have a series-.of apertures 7, through which air is delivered into the cmnbustion-chamber 3, and said pipes o ward end through a suitable nozzle 8, which will be placed in the front wall ofthe brickwork 2. 'lhis nozzle 8 is shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 7 and presents a narrow elongated opening to the. interior of the combus- The construction of thev nozzle 8 is as follows: 9 9 are horizontally-arranged plates havinginwardly-extending webs 10,the edges of which are placed together, so as to form a,

space between theplates 9 9, as shown in Fig. 5. These 4webs 10 10' diverge outwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, and `at the inner ends of said webs the plates .9 9 have end pieces l1 11, which meet on their inner edges, as shown in Fig. 6, an aperture 12 being formed between the end pieces 11 for the entrance of fuel into the nozzle. The plates 9 9 are fastened t0- gether, as by bolt-s or screws 13. The space between the plates 9 9 is narrow and wide, the wider end being the delivery end for the fuel, from which' the fuel when blown through the nozzle will be delivered in a thin wide sheet or film which gradually spreads outwardly before it passes from the nozzle, in accordance with the divergence of the walls or webs 10 10,

- forming the sides of the nozzle. In order to dei creaseor increasethe size of the outlet-opening of the nozzle on a line passing through the center of the nozzle, while at the same time preventing an obstruction from being formed within the nozzle, l place within said lnozzle two plates 14 14,which are oppositely disposed, one plate being pivotally carried by the corresponding plate 9, as shown in Fig. 5. For this purpose the plates 9 are recessed, form.- ing a shoulder 9, extending across them, to receive the inner ends of the plates 14, the edges of the plates 14 diverging to correspond with the divergence of the webs l0. (See Fig. 4.) Suitable means may be provided for pivoting the plates 14within the space bounded by the plates 9 9 and webs 10 10, and for this purpose I have shown screws 15 als entering pivotal sockets 16 in the edges of the .plates 14, (see. Fig. 4,),the screws being close to the shoulders 9% The shoulders 9 are preferably curved at 9 to 'meet the correspondingly` curved ends 14 of the plates 14, so as to sustain a tight joint. at that part, the inner portion of the plates 9` and the plates 14 thereby constituting a substantially continuous wall for the passage of the fuel through the nozzle,l f

and when said plates 14 are turned on their pivots their forward ends willapproach `or separate to decrease or increase the width of the opening at the end of `the nozzle, the deliveryopening for the fuel thereby being` formed by the plates 14. At the forward ends the plates 14 have flanges or lips 17, which cover the ends'of the plates 9; (See Fig. 5.)

Any suitable means may be employed for moving the plates 14 toward or from' each other. I have shown convenient mean's for this purpose, consisting of shafts '18, passing along the plates 9 and suitably journaled' thereon, as by brackets 19, at their forward ends, the inner ends of the shafts 18 being jou rnaled in the end pieces 1]. On the shafts 18 are eranks20, to which are pivoted links 21, which pass through openings 22 in the plates 9 and are pivoted to the outer faces of the plates 14, as by brackets 23, carried by said plates 14. By this means as the shafts 18 are rocked the plates 14 willbe moved in- Y wardly and outwardly. At the outer ends of the shafts 18, contiguous to theinlet-opening 12 of the nozzle, are crank1arms'24, by which the shafts 18 can be operated.

By preference the two shafts 18 are oper-` ated simultaneously, so that the plates 14 will be moved toward each other simultaneously and likewise separated at the same time, as the case may be, to keep the center of delivery on a horizontal line. l provided for thus operating the crank-arms 24 together for the purpose stated. I have shown a centrally-pivoted lever or arm 2t, having a suitable handle 27, by which it can be turned, the lever 26 being pivoted at its opposite ends toflinksv 28, whichv are 4also pivoted to the crank-arms 24, (see Fig. 6,), whereby as the lever 26 is turned in one direction the shafts 418 will be rotated to move the plates 14 togetherto reduce the size of the outlet of the nozzle, and when the lever 26 is turned in the opposite direction the motion of the plates 14 will be reversed, so as to increase` the size of the nozzle-outlet. The nozzle 8, thus constru'cted, will be located wit-hin the brickwork 2 around the-furnace in line with the forward end of the combustion-chamber, and the crank-arms 24 will project through the forward face of the wall of the brickwork.

'lhe nozzle 8, constructed and supported as above specified, is connected at its opening Suitable means may be IOO IIO

IZO

l2 with a pipe 30, which leads to a pnlverizer and blower 31, which is adapted to. receive the fuel in a coarse state, then pulverize it and mix it with air and deliver said mixture, under pressure, to the nozzle 8, from which it passes )into the combustion-chamber 3. (See Fig. 1.

. The pulverizerand blower 31 is .arranged as follows: 32 is a casing, preferably cylindrical, having a hinged top 32, to permit aecess to the interior, the casing being supported by legs 33, or in any suitable manner.

The pipe 30 enters the casing 32 on its lower side at the forward or delivery end. .The oppositeend of this casing 32 is connected with a hopper or spout 84, which receives fuel from a suitable receptacle 85 and chute 36. -At

the intake end of the casing 32 is anopening beneath the combustioni-chamber 3, so that the bricks that are heated by the fuel in said combustion -chamber will heat air in the chamber 29 to supply hot air tov the pulverizer and blower 3l.. lhe chamber 3f) has an air-inlet 40, shown in the form of a pipe leading to the outer air and provided with a suitable valve to permit air to enter the chamber 89 and to prevent it from escaping therefrom through the pipe 40. 'ithin the casing 32 is a horizontal shaft 42, carried in suitable bearings andhaving a pulley 43, by which it canbe rotated by abelt from a suitable source.

Rigidly mounted upon the shaft 42 are a series of arms 44 45. The arms 44 extend outwardly nearly to the casing 32, while the arms 45 are shorter and are located between the arms 44,

all as in Fig. 3. The arms 44 45 are shown car-A 'ried by hubs or sleeves 46 47, mounted on the which consist of at plates suitably secured to said arms. The plates or blades 48 49 are sho-wn in rectangularv form, and the inner edges are placed at au angle to the shaft 42, so that they diverge outwardly from a line lparallel with the shaft 42 from the back or inlet end A of the casin g 32 toward the delivery or front end B of said easing. The angles of divergence of these blades or bats 48 are different, ranging from the back A to the front B of the casing-that is to say, the angles of the blades gradually increasing, as shown in Fig. 3. The angles of divergence of the inner blades or bats 49 are the reverse of the an'- gles of the blades or bats 48-that is to say, they diverge' .outwardly from the front B to the back A of the casingrelatively to the shaft 42. It will be understood vthataH the arms 44 45 and blades or bats 48 49 rotate together or in the same direction, and on ac. count of their peculiar inclinations they actA fuel is fed into the casing 32, the fuel preferably consistingof fine coal or dust. The fuel is first met by the rst. series of blade 48 and is struck a sharp blow .by them, whic tosses it against the next s ries of blades or bats 49, Vwhich act to drive part of the fuel 'back against the blades 48, which again toss the fuel forward. As a circulation .of air is iuduced vby the rotating blades or bats from the back A toward the front B of the casing, the fuel will be gradually carried forward. The second series of blades 48 also act to toss the fuel forward, and so on as the blades 48 encounter the fuel, gradually carrying it forward toward the front B of the casing, the bats 49,1nore particularly serving to strike the larger particles of fuel to drive them back against the bats 48. This continued tossing of the fuel from one blade .or bat to and against the next series gradually pulverizes the fuel, until it issues from the easthe blades on the fuel, as well as one particle of fuel against another, serving to crush or divide it. The farther the fuel passes from the back A to the front B of the casing the smaller it becomes, and therefore the more readily the current of air in the 'casing can carry the fuel along to deliver it; The whirling of the fuel wit-hin the casing and the 'current of air passing therethrough, together with the moving blades, cause t-he fuel to remain in suspension, so that it will at all times be in a position to be struck by the blades or bats 48 49. O11 account of the outward and forward divergence of the bats 48 the fuel is continually thrown forward until when it reaches the front B of the casing it is forced through the pipe 30; but this will not occur until it is in the desired finely-divided state.

This whirlingof the fuel also intimately mixes it with the air in the casing, so that when it passes through the pipe 8O itis properly mixed with the airto permit of its ready ignition in the combustion-chamber 3.

If desired, the blades or bats 4'9 could be omitted and only the blades 48 used. On the inner surface of the casing I also, by preference, place ribs 50, against which the fuel can strike as it is'propelled through the casing; but these ribs do not form chambers in which the blades rotate, as they are outside of the ends of said blades. The complete o peration is as follows: If the boiler 1 is used to supply steam for rotating the shaft 42, and there is no steam in the boiler, a suitable fire can be made in the chamber 3 until the requisite amount of steam is produced, or the shaft 42 can be temporarily rotated by any suitable means to supply the pulverized fuel IOO IIO

to the combustion-chamber until the required amount-of steam is generated to keep said shaft rotating; but if there is steam left in the boiler it can be' used to rotate the shaft 42. V In either case the required amount of fuel is fed from the receptacle 35 to the pulverizer and blower 32, the rotating blades or bats Aof which pulverize the fuel, as before explained. These rotating blades also act to draw hot air from the air-chamber 30 into the casing 32 and to thoroughly mix it with the fuel being pulverized. thereupon blow or force the mixture of air and fuel into and through the nozzle 8 and thence The rotating blades ber, a small wood lire can be kindled therein.)

The mixture of air and fuel thus passinginto the chamber 3 under pressure and issuing from the narrow elongated outlet of the nozzle spreads out in the combustion-chamber in a lon g thin sheet or film, and the particles of fuel mixing with the air in the chamber 3 quickly ignite and burn with an intense heat. By forcing the mixture of fuel and air into the combustion-chamber under sufficient pressure it will be carried back on a horizontal plane `the full length of the boiler, thereby forming a flame the full length of the boiler, the'fiame, in fact, passing up into the space 3 at the back ofthe boiler and entering the flues thereof.

' As'heated air is delivered into the combustion-chamber 3 with the fuel, and as other heated air is delivered to said chamber by the pipes 7 ,quick and perfect combustion of the fuel is caused and about all the combustible,

portionsof the fuel and air are instantly ignited and burned. The mixture of Apulverized fuel and air burns like a gas-flame, creating an intense heat. rlhe proper proportion l of air and fuel to be mixed is regulated, as'the i rotation of the blades 4S 4'9 propels an amount of air and fuel commensurate with their rate of rotation and with the feeding of4 the fuel. -A suitable device may-be provided to cause the right amount of fuel to be fed to the-puh verizer in accordance with the rate of rotation of the blades, so that if a small amount of heat is desired the blades can rotate at the proper speed and be supplied with less fuel and thus propel the proper quantity of air with the fuel, and if great heat is required the blades can be rotated faster and thereby secure more fuel and propel more air. By this means the amount of steam to be produced can be easily regulated by the rotation of the blades of the pulverizer and blower; also, when a small "quantity of fuel is fed the outlet of the nozzle is reduced in size by adjusting the plates 14. 14 toward Aeach other, and as it is desired to increase the heat the height of said opening is increased, by which means the thickness of the sheet or film of fuel passed intothe chamber 3 is regulated in accordance with the amount of fuel passing. vBy this means, also, proper combustion of the fuel is regulated, because the thickness of the film of fuel is regulated in accord-4 ance with the heat to be produced and the ability of all particles of fuel to be consumed that maybe issuing from the nozzle.

If the outlet of the nozzle were always of one size, it would occur'that if a small quantity of fuel were issuing it would not be proing-fuel, and is specially useful in connection with my improved pulverizer and blower, which has thethree functions of pulverizing the fuel, mixing it with air, and forcing it from the nozzle, so that as the delivery of fuel from the casing32 is regulated by the rate of rotation of the blades the size of the sheet of fuel issuing from the nozzle will be regulated by the size of the.outlet thereof. It willbe understood that the outlet of the nozzle will always remain on a line drawn through its center by moving bothI platesI 14. 14 toward and from each other equally and together. By this means the fuel will issue on a horizontal plane at all times and not`be directed upwardly against the boiler nor downwardly against the bottom of the combustionchamber.

Havingnow described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of a pulverizer and a pipe leading thereto from an air heating chamber, means to deliver fuel to said .pul-

verizer to cause said fuel to be pulverizedby ture of hot air and pulverized fuel together toa combustion chamber, substantiallyas set forth. o 2. The combination of a casing, a pipe leading thereto at one end for conducting air into said casing a pipe or hopper leading into said casing atv the same end as the air pipe to deliver fuel thereto, mechanism within said casing arranged to -p ulverize fuel while at the same time mixing it with the airl entering said casing, the said devices which pulverize the fuel being arranged to create a current of air to force the fuel from the entering end of the casing out through Vthe opposite end thereof, and means for conducting the mixture of air and fuel from said casing to a combustion chamber, substantially as specified. 'lhe combination of aboiler and a setting therefor, having a combustion chamber for said boiler and a hot air chamber within said setting beneath 'said combustion chamber, and an inlet for air into said hot air chamber whereby air willbe heated by radiation from said setting, with a combined pulverizer and blower having one end connected with said hot air chamber by a suitable pipe, the opposite end being connected by asuitable pipe with Asaid combustion chamber, said pulverizer and blower containing blades and bats which are arranged to pulverize fuel and mix it with hot air from said hot air chamber, the said blades which pulverize the -fuel being arranged to create a current of air within said pulverizer to force the said mixture of fucl and hot vair into said combustion chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of aboiler and a sottili g IOO IIO

551,09s l 1 5' l therefor, having a combustion chamber, a hot air chamber within said settin g and means to permit entrance of air into said hot air chamber, and to prevent its exit through said entrance with means for pulverizing and blowing fuel into said combustion chamber,

and a pipe leading from said hot air chamber to conduct hot air to the means for blowing the fuel into said combustion chamber, sub.

stantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination oa-boiler anda combustion chamber therefor, with a nozzle opening into saidcombustion chamber, said nozzle having means for contracting land enlarging its outlet in equal degrees from a normally central line through said nozzle, means for holding the delivery endof the nozzle in any position to which it may be adjusted, means for supplying pulverized fuel to said nozzle' and for forcing it from said nozzle into said combustion chamber, substantially as herein specified.

(3. A nozzle consisting of a vhollow casing having outwardly divergingdwalls and means for contracting and expandingrthe deliver-y end of said nozzle equally on a line passing centrally through said nozzle, whereby a sheet or film of fuel can'be forced through said nozzle ona horizontal plane, so as to spread out laterally after leaving the nozzle, substantially as herein speciied.

'7. A nozzle consisting of a hollow casing having outwardly dhr-erging side walls and two plates within said casing having eorre' spondingly diverging edges, and means for moving the outer, ends of said plates toward and from each other, so that fuel passing from the nozzle can .be delivered in a sheet or film which spreads out laterally after it issues from the nozzle, substantially as set forth.

S. A nozzle consisting of a hollow casing having oppositcly disposed shoulders 91 and on. their edges to form a space within said nozzle, rear walls carried by said plates adapted to close the backof said nozzle, said walls forming an inlet opening, and two plates carried within said first-mentioned plates and means for moving said plates equally toward stantially as set forth.

- andvfrom each other at their outer ends slib' 10. A- nozzle consisting of two platesland''jzv means for holding them at a distancev apart to form a space between them, two plates pivotally carried within the space formed by said 1 first .mentioned plates, rock shafts 'journaled 011 the first mentioned plates 'and havingv cranks and links connected with the movable plates for operating the latter, and means for vrocking said shafts to move the innerplates toward and from each other@ substantially vasv herein specified. v

11.. A nozzle consisting of two plates and means for holding them at a distance apart' to form a space between them, two platespivotally carried withinfthe space formed by said iirst mentioned plates, rock shafts .journaled on the first mentioned plates and havingcranks and` links connected lwith the movablel plates for operating the latter said rock shafts havingcrank arms 24 and means connected withsaid crank arms for moving them conjoint-ly so as to move the outer ends, of said movable plates toward and from each other equally and simultaneously to contract and increase the distance between the outer ends of said movable plates equally, as and for the:

purposes set forth.

12. A nozzle consisting of two plates 9,webs 10, 10, carried by said plates and adapted to register on their edges whereby a space is formed between said plates and' webs, means for clamping said plates together, walls at one end .of said plates forming an inlet open ing, two plates 14 within said nozzle and respectively pivotally connected at their-inner endswith said'plates 9, and means for rocking said plates 1-l on their pivots to move their outer ends toward and from earch other, substantially asset forth. l

I 13. A nozzle consisting of" a hollow-easing and plates 1l therein, said plates 14 having 'pivotsat their inner ends so arranged that said plates when 4tn rned on their pivots will always present a smooth inner surface within the nozzle casing while their outer ends move toward and from each other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invent-ion above set-forth I aiiix my signature in prcs l ence of two -witnes'ses.

l/VILLIAM MELVIN RUSSELL.' Witnesses:

JAMES M. TULLY, T. F. BOURNE. 

